Resilient heel



S. DAMlCQ RESILIENT HEEL Jan. 2, 1951 Filed April 15, 1949 Fig.

Fig.3.

In wen for Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT DFFHIE RESILIENT HEEL Sabatino DAmico, Rye, N; Y.

Application April 13, 1949, Serial No. 87,254

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to footwear and more particularly to a resilient heel for footwear comprising a pluralit of vertically spaced sections fastened together and including a central section of relatively resilient material.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a heel in which the resilience is greater at the rear portion of the heel than at the forward portion thereof, so that the rear portion, which ordinarily will contact the surface walked upon before the front portion of the heel contacts the same surface, may collapse upwardly as each step is taken, thus considerably increasin the comfort and healthfulness coincident with the use of footwear having this improved heel construction.

I Another object of this invention is to provide such a resilient heel, without foregoing stability and durability, this feature referring particularly to the mode of securing the sections of the heel together and the positive securement oi the cross bar portion of the stirrup-shaped central section to the upper section of the heel.

Yet another object of this invention is to pro vide a heel construction in which the lower lift or section of the heel may be of leather, rubber or the like, although this lower section will ordinarily, according to this invention, be of a material less resilient than the materia1 of the central section.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a central section which has an air core extending 1ongitudinally throughout the bight portion of the stirrup-shaped central section, while the central section is also centrall apertured as will be understood from the use of the term stirrup-shaped, so that this central section can be made extremely resilient, without loss of stability and durability, even when this central section constructed of material such as sponge rubber or other like substances including several types of aerated plastics.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a device of this character which is relativel inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which is safe, and convenient and easy to apply to footwear, and which will give ally efficient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this vention resides in certain novel features of con struction, combination and arrangement of ele-- ments and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a, material part of thi application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentar side elevational View of a shoe, with this invention operatively applied thereto and shown in vertical section, a portion of the rear part of the shoe being broken away to facilitate the illustration of this invention;

Figure 2 is a three dimensional view of the element hereinafter referred to as the central section of the heel; and

Figure 3 is a lower plan view of the above referred to central section of the heel, the view being taken on the line 33 in Figure 1.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, this invention is adapted to be used with. an environment including a shoe generally indicated at IE] and having a rear portion of the sole part of the shoe as indicated at i2 constructed conventionally and secured to the other portions of the shoe according to conventional practice, it being understood that the shoe indicated is merely representative of man different kinds of footwear.

The heel which forms the subject matter of this invention is comprised of three main sections, a lower section generally indicated at a. central section generally indicated it, and an upper section it. The lower section is comprised of a lowermost lift 20 and a second lift 22, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, although this lower section may be constructed in one piece, as when this lower section is manufactured from rubber or like substance. As 'lustrated, this lower section is constructed of leather or the like and the lift 22 has a tapered thickness, with the upper surface 2 2 sloping downwardly toward the rear of the heel. This lower section will be fastened to the central section it as hereinafter described.

The central section it is generally stirrupshaped having a bight portion Ziand a cross bar portion the cross bar portion being apertured a plurality of point indicate-"- ceive a similar plurality of attaching screws 30 which are inserted through the apertures and to the upper section l8 and preferably into a considerable portion of the element E2 of the shoe, in order that the forward end of the heel may be firmly anchored on the shoe. In this connection, it may be noted that the cross bar 26 is countersunk at the apertures 28, as indicated at 32 to receive the heads of the screws til, the configuration of the countersinks being determined, of course, according to the shape of the heads of 7 be considered as including the side arm portions 34 and these side arm portions and the periphery of the central section generally will conform to the general configuration of the other sections l4 and I8 so that the complete heel will have the appearance of a conventionally constructed heel.

The bight portion 25 has an air core 36 extending longitudinally thereof and possibly tapering as indicated by the dash lines in Figure 1 toward the cross bar 26. Of course, the air core 36 is disposed centrally of the bight portion 25. It is to be carefully noted that the central portion also has special means to prevent detachment of the central portion from the lower portion [4 and the upper portion l8." Adhesives will be applied on the contacting surfaces between the said sections and ribs 38 will be formed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the bight portion, these ribs being configurated and dimensioned to fit withinloppositely disposed channels 40 in the lower section 14 and upper sections 18, as will be clearly understood from an inspection of Figure 1. It is preferred that the cementing material be applied to the surface within the channels 40 for the more secure bonding of the ribs within these channels. It should be noted that two channels are provided and two ribs, one on each side of the central section It, fit within these channels, and since the ribs follow the general shape of the bight portion, including the side arm portions 34, movement of one section of the heel laterally of another section of' the heel is positively prevented.

It will be clear that a highly practical and utilitarian heel is provided according to this invention, and the operation of the heel will be completely evident from the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof. In recapitulation, it may be added that the cross bar 25 may be considered as acting somewhat as a fulcrum member, since the cross bar 26 i of less vertical thickness than the rear end portion of the cen-. tral section i l, with the result that a greater movement of the lower section Id results when weight is placed upon the heel.

Obviously, minor variations may be made in this invention, departing from the embodiment disclosed in the specification, without goin beyond the scope of this invention, as defined in the following claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A resilient heel for footwear comprising a plurality of vertically spaced sections fastened together and includin a lower section, a central section of material more resilient than the lower section, and an upper section, said central section beingtapered to a smaller vertical dimension at the forward end of the heel, and said sections having interfitting ribs and grooves.

2; A resilient heel for footwear comprising a plurality of verticall spaced sections fastened to gether and including a lower section, a central section of material more resilient than the lower section, and an upper section, said central section being substantially stirrup-shaped so that an air space is provided centrally of the heel, the bight portion of the central section having a continuous rib on both its top and bottom surfaces, and said upper and lower sections having channels to receiye and to retain said ribs.

3. A resilient heel for footwear comprising a plurality of vertically spaced sections fastened together andincludin a lower section, a central section of material more resilient than the lower section, and an upper section, said central section being substantially stirrup-shaped so that an air space is provided centrally of the heel, the bight portion of said stirrup-shaped central section having an air core extending centrally and longitudinally thereof.

4. A resilient heel for footwear comprising a plurality of vertically spaced sections fastened together and including a lower section, a central section of material more resilient than the lower section, and an upper section, said central section being substantially stirrup-shaped so that an air space is provided centrally of the heel, the bight portion of said stirrup-shaped central section having an air core extending centrally and longitudinally thereof, and the cross bar portion of the stirrup-shaped central section having a smaller vertical thickness than said bight portion.

5. A heel according to claim 4, and wherein said cross bar portion is secured by screws to said upper section, and said bight portion is bonded to said upper and lower sections by cementitious material.

6. A central section for a resilient heel for securement between upper and lower sections, comprising a generally stirrup-shaped member of resilient material having a bight portion of greater thickness than the cross bar portion, said bight portion having an air core extendin centrally and longitudinally thereof.

'7. A central section for a resilient heel for securement between upper and lower sections, comprising a generally stirrup-shaped member of resilient material having a bight portion of greater thickness than the cross bar portion, said bight portion having an air core extending centrally and longitudinally thereof, and ribs on opposite sides of said central section to engage said upper and lower sections.

SABATINO DAMICQ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,113,645 Jones Oct. 13, 19-11 1,371,398 Schirmer Mar. 15, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date.

15,421 Great Britain l of 1899- 

